160 thermostat
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 699
Likes: 59
From: Alamogordo, NM
160 thermostat I live in southern NM and the temps go past 100 on a daily basis. I figure the extra 20 degrees of "padding" will help while running the A/C when I need it most.
If the system has trouble rejecting enough heat to stay at 180F, it can't reject the additional heat needed to get down to 160F. If it's struggling - you need more air, and/or bigger/better heat exchangers. Lower T'stat won't help.
You must have the t-stat close and allow enough "sit" time for the coolant in the radiator to cool off before it goes back into the engine.
I had a 160*F tstat in my engine....hot *** South Florida. It ran hot all the time after my brand new 436ci stroker went in. A few weeks dealing with that crap I put in a 180*F. problem solved. Ran nice and cool after that. I did not touch the tune the dyno tuner did to run with the 160*F tstat....it all worked out fine for the next 12 years.
What will happen with a 160*F tstat is it will reach a point where the coolant cannot cool down and the tstat will never fully close....the coolant will keep circulating and just get hotter and hotter.....Then your doomed and it will overheat. Coolant must have sufficient "sit" time in the radiator before entering back into the engine block/heads.
.
Well....old wives tale....it doesn't work that way. With increased heat load you WANT more coolant flow thru rad. That's why the water pump SPEEDS UP with revs. If you've ever had a t'stat stick open in cool weather, it'll over cool like crazy. The greater the flow of air over the rad and coolant through the rad -- the greater the heat transfer. That's how it works.
Last edited by Michael Yount; Jul 4, 2017 at 04:18 PM.
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As does mine Andrew -- with the 187F t'stat on the inlet side, if the fan and rad have the capacity to reject enough heat and fan activation control temps don't exceed 200F - then head temps will be right there in the 193F-200F range.
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TECH Addict
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,305
Likes: 126
From: Monroe,NY
Same deal with my 160 stat. On the highway 174-176 sitting in traffic 180-186 i have a single 3500 fan.
TECH Addict
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,305
Likes: 126
From: Monroe,NY
A 160*F t-stat will make things worse.....even with fans that run all the time.
You must have the t-stat close and allow enough "sit" time for the coolant in the radiator to cool off before it goes back into the engine.
I had a 160*F tstat in my engine....hot *** South Florida. It ran hot all the time after my brand new 436ci stroker went in. A few weeks dealing with that crap I put in a 180*F. problem solved. Ran nice and cool after that. I did not touch the tune the dyno tuner did to run with the 160*F tstat....it all worked out fine for the next 12 years.
What will happen with a 160*F tstat is it will reach a point where the coolant cannot cool down and the tstat will never fully close....the coolant will keep circulating and just get hotter and hotter.....Then your doomed and it will overheat. Coolant must have sufficient "sit" time in the radiator before entering back into the engine block/heads.
.
You must have the t-stat close and allow enough "sit" time for the coolant in the radiator to cool off before it goes back into the engine.
I had a 160*F tstat in my engine....hot *** South Florida. It ran hot all the time after my brand new 436ci stroker went in. A few weeks dealing with that crap I put in a 180*F. problem solved. Ran nice and cool after that. I did not touch the tune the dyno tuner did to run with the 160*F tstat....it all worked out fine for the next 12 years.
What will happen with a 160*F tstat is it will reach a point where the coolant cannot cool down and the tstat will never fully close....the coolant will keep circulating and just get hotter and hotter.....Then your doomed and it will overheat. Coolant must have sufficient "sit" time in the radiator before entering back into the engine block/heads.
.
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: thomasville ga
I have to change the o-ring in my housing "or at least look at it because of a leak" would you guys suggest keeping the stock stat "480hp crate from Summitt" or going to a 160? My gauges are Dakota Digital and I have been told they typically show warm.
I would also prefer the 160*F Due to local climate being always hot, and other factors. 160 isn't that far off from 180*, and although 180*F is good for many applications, it really does help to have the cooling "padding" like the op was saying, the ability to get the engine below 180*F when you want to by using a fan is priceless sometimes.
I fully support and will also be following this notion. I will still run the engine 180-190*F when cruising for economy, but on the extra hot days etc... I will try to keep it a bit lower than 180 if doing any hard driving. For example.
I fully support and will also be following this notion. I will still run the engine 180-190*F when cruising for economy, but on the extra hot days etc... I will try to keep it a bit lower than 180 if doing any hard driving. For example.